New era for Malaysian media.
The Malaysian Media Council Bill 2024, aimed at introducing self-regulation in the local mass media industry, has been passed in the Dewan Rakyat through a voice vote following its third reading by Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching.
Nineteen MPs took part in the debate on the Bill, which was first tabled on 12 December 2023.
In her speech, Teo stated that the council would be responsible for establishing a code of conduct to ensure ethical and responsible journalism. She noted that the idea of a media council was first proposed in 1973 by Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, Malaysia’s second prime minister.
“However, the memorandum to establish the council was only tabled and approved by the Cabinet on 6 December 2019,” she said.
A 21-member pro-tem committee received a draft Bill in August 2020, after which 26 stakeholder engagement sessions were conducted.
Teo explained that Clause 5 of the Bill outlines the council’s functions, which include setting professional standards for media practitioners and independent journalists.
“For now, we don’t have a body to manage and fight for the interests of the local media. Through the setting up of the council, the government is confident that check-and-balance can be carried out by media industry players themselves,” she added.
The Bill also seeks to establish remedial mechanisms and disciplinary proceedings, as well as to coordinate training for media professionals.
“Presently, if the public is upset by news reports, they don’t have a platform to complain, and there is no remedial mechanism, while the legal process in court may take a long time and is costly,” Teo said.
She highlighted that many countries have established media councils since the 1950s, including Germany (1956), India (1966), Indonesia (1968), Australia (1972), and Ireland (2008). Malaysia’s council will share similarities with these models, particularly in providing a platform to receive and evaluate public complaints.
The council will be governed by a board led by a chairman with no political, civil service, or legislative affiliations, alongside two government representatives. The board will also include:
- Four members from media companies
- Four members from media associations
- Four non-media members
- At least one woman
- At least one representative from Sabah and Sarawak
Board members, including the chairman, will receive an allowance, with each serving a two-year term.
The Bill was introduced following calls from various media groups for a regulatory body to uphold press freedom and promote ethical journalism in Malaysia.
At a press conference, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil described the Bill’s passing as a historic moment, noting that the idea was conceived over 52 years ago. He explained that efforts to revive the Bill in 2019 were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent changes in government.
“Once I was appointed as the Communications Minister, my deputy and I decided to revive the pro-tem committee,” he added.
During the debate, Syahredzan Johan (PH-Bangi) expressed confidence that the media council would enable the industry to self-regulate, ensuring that concerns over media reports are addressed through a remedial mechanism developed by the council.
Datuk Shamshulkahar Mohd Deli (BN-Jempol) supported the Bill, stating that it would provide a formal avenue for the public to lodge complaints regarding defamatory news reports.
However, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas) questioned the inclusion of two government representatives, arguing that the council should remain independent of government influence.